Embodiments are directed to a robot arm and, more particularly, a robot arm that may assist surgeons with medical tools in an operation.
Various medical procedures require the precise localization of a three-dimensional position of a surgical instrument within the body in order to effect optimized treatment. For example, some surgical procedures to fuse vertebrae require that a surgeon drill multiple holes into the bone structure at specific locations. To achieve high levels of mechanical integrity in the fusing system, and to balance the forces created in the bone structure, it is necessary that the holes are drilled at the correct location. Vertebrae, like most bone structures, have complex shapes made up of non-planar curved surfaces making precise and perpendicular drilling difficult. Conventionally, a surgeon manually holds and positions a drill guide tube by using a guidance system to overlay the drill tube's position onto a three dimensional image of the bone structure. This manual process is both tedious and time consuming. The success of the surgery is largely dependent upon the dexterity of the surgeon who performs it.
Robotic systems have been employed to help reduce tedious and time consuming processes. Many of the current robots used in surgical applications are specifically intended for magnifying/steadying surgical movements or providing a template for milling the bone surface. However, these robots are suboptimal for drilling holes and other related tasks.
Consequently, there is a need for a robot system that minimizes human and robotic error while allowing fast and efficient surgical access. The ability to perform operations on a patient with a robot system will greatly diminish the adverse effects upon the patient. The application of the robot system and the techniques used with the robot system may enhance the overall surgical operation and the results of the operation.